Latch mechanism for cake formers and the like



' Feb- 7, 1933. F. c. SIMON LATCH MECHANISM FOR GAKE FORMERS AND THE LIKE Filed May 8, 1951 2 Sheets-#Sheet l f MM2 F. C. SIMON Feb. 7,` 1933. i

LATCH MECHANISM FOR CAKE FORMERS AND THE'LIKE Filed May 8, 1931 2 Shee's-Sheetl 2 Patented Feb. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOREST C. SIMON,`OF PIQUAQOHIO', ASSIGNOR '10 THE FRENCH OIL MILL MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PIQUA, OHIO LATCH MEGHANISM FOR CAKE FORMERS ANDV THE LIKE Application filed May 8, 1931. Serial No. 535,871. j

This vinvention relates .to improvements in cake formers or machines for compressing oil bearing material into, cakes suitable for introduction into presses by which the oil is '6' expressed from the meal, and more particularly to improvements in latch actuating mechanisms for the head blocks of such machines. l

In cake formers of the type to which this l invention applies, as most commonly constructed, the cake isformed by pressing a charge of meal in a cake mold or form to which the charge of meal is delivered by a Atraveling charge box that receives the meal from the meal cooker and deposits it in the cake mold. The cake mold is mounted on the upper end of a vertically movable ram and the charge is compressed between the mold and a head block above the same. The head block is hinged to swing upwardly from its horizontal operative or pressing position over the mold to permit the charge box to deposit the charge of meal into the mold, and after the charge has been deposited in the cake mold, the head block is lowered and is held down in its operative position `by a latch which must be released to permit the head block to be again swung up to its raised position for the removal of the molded cake and for the introduction of the next charge of meal into the mold.

A primary object of my invention is to provide an improved latch actuating mechanism. particularly for the head blocks of such machines, which will be eiiicient and reliable in operation.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a desirable latch actuating mechanism which is of simpler and less expensive construction than reliable latch mechanisms ofv the constructions heretofore employed; which is positively operated to release the head block by the return movement of thecake pressing ram and without the necessity of operating additional controlling or latch-actuating mechanism; in which the latchis controlled to secure and release the head block` by mechanical means actuated by the move-v ments of the cake pressing ram, which has the features of improvement and advantage hereinafter described and set forth in the claims. v f

In the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 isa sectional elevation of aV cake forming machine equipped with latch mechanism for the head block embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the latch mechanismshowing the position of the parts just prior to commencement of upward movementv of the pressure ram.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation thereof on line 3-'-3, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation on line 4-4, Fig. 2, but showing the position of the parts at the commencement of the upward movement of the ram and before the latch has been fully moved to holding position.

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the latch in its holding position and the its raised position. I

Referring rst to Fig. l, which, with the exception of the improved latch-actuating mechanism, illustrates a cake forming machine of known construction, 10 represents.

pressure ram in.

the cake mold or form. This cake mold ismounted on the upper end of, or is formed by the cap of, a ram 11 arranged to move vertically in a stationary cylinder 12 to which uid under pressure isV admitted for raising the ram, and from which the 'pressure fluid is released to permit the descent of the ram and mold. 13 is the head block lwhich is hinged by arms 14 in any suitable manner at 15 on the stationary frame 16 of the machine at the rear of the mold 10. The head block is adapted to be lowered from the raised position shown in Fig.` 1 to the operative horizontal position over the cake mold, shown in Fig. 5,`in which position it is secured by the latch mechanism hereinafter described. The head block may be actuated or swung downwardly to and upwardly from its operative position by suitable mechanism, such, for example, as the doulble acting, fluid pres-f sure mechanism illustratedin Fig. l, which comprises a cylinder 17 stationarily mounted Von the rear of the main frame and a piston 18 arranged to reciprocate in this cylinder and provided with an upwardly projecting piston rod 19 connected at its end, as by a link 20, to the rear end of the hinge arms 14 for the head block. Pressure fluid is admitted to and discharged from the cylinder at opposite ends of the piston 18 by suitable valve or controlling mechanism, not shown, the admission of the liquid to the lower end of the cylinder beneath the piston acting to raise the piston and lower the head block and the release of the fluid from the lower end of the cylinder and its admission to the upper end of the cylinder above the piston operating to return the heat block to its raised position.

When the head block has been lowered to its operative or pressing position, the pressure fluid is admitted to the ram cylinder to raise the ram and compress the meal or cake in the cake mold 10 between the latter and the head block, which is held down during -the ascent of the ram by thelatch mechanism as hereinafter explained. After the cake is compressed or molded, the pressure fluid is released from the ram cylinder by suitable valve or controlling mechanism, not shown, to permit the ram and mold to descend by gravity to the position shown in Fig. 1, after which the controlling mechanism for' the head block is actuated to return the head block to its elevated position.

The machine as thus far described is of well known construction and operation and may be constructed as illustrated and above described or, it may be of any other known or suitable construction adapted to effect the raising and lowering of the cake mold and of the head block in the manner described.

The mechanism shown for releasably securing the head block in its operative or pressing position comprises a latch or hook 21 suitably hinged at its upper end, as by a hinge rod 22, to lugs 23 on the forward end of the head block, and a stationary keeper or catch plate 24 which is rigidly secured as by bolts to the front of the stationary ram cylinder 12, and is provided in its upper portion with an opening 25 in which the beak 26 of the latch hook is adapted to engage, as shown in Fig. 5, for holding the head block down.

My improved latch releasing device is preferably in the form of a bail having a horizontal cross bar 28 which extends in front of the keeper 24 beneath the lower end of the latch hook 21 in the holding position of the latch, and is rigidly secured to side arms 29 which are hinged at their upper ends to the front side of the vertically movable cake mold, as for instance by pivot pins 30 entering holesin the upper ends of the arms 29 and secured in brackets 31 bolted to the front of the mold. The latch releasing device hangs freely on the pivots 30 with the cross bar 28 thereof located in rear of an extension or leg 32 projecting downwardly from the lower end of the latch hook 21, and in the construction shown the releasing device is provided with studs 33 projecting inwardly from its side arms 29 and adapted to ride on inclined or cam faces 34 on a stationary cam plate 35. As shown the latter is secured to the keeper 24 which is stationarily fixed at the front side of the cake mold.

The latch is urged rearwardly toward the keeper when the head block is lowered, preferably by gravity supplemented by spring mechanism comprising springs 36 arranged in the head block and acting on the side arms of al bent rod 37, the front cross bar of which is connected to the latch hook 21. One of these springs is shown in Fig. 1. S0 When the head block is lowered to its operative pressing position, the studs 33 of the latch releasing devicer will engage or rest against the cam faces 34 and the cross bar 28 of the latch releasing device will be there- '585 by held outwardly against the extension 32 of the hook, as shown in Fig. 4, and thus prevent the beak of the latch from swinging rearwardly into holding engagement in thefr opening 25 of the keeper. hen the ram 1].90 starts upward to press the cake, the upward movement of the cake mold, to which the latch releasing device is hinged, wilL carry the studs 33 of the latch releasing device up-Mr wardly out of engagement with the cam"` faces 34 and thus permit the cross bar at the lower end of the latch releasing device to swing rearwardly and permit the beak of the latch hook to be moved by its springs andm gravity into holding engagement with the keeper, as shown in Fig. 5. The latch thus securely holds the head block in its operative position during the continued upward movement of the ram and mold to compressM the cake. 105

After the cake has been compressed, the ram controlling mechanism is actuated to Vcause the ram and cake mold to again descend, and in the downward movement there of, the studs 33 of the latch releasing device 110 will engage the stationary cam faces 34, thereby swinging the lower end of the latch releasing device outwardly and causing the cross bar 28 thereof to engage the bottom eX-..,Y tension of the latch and disengage the latch hook from the keeper. The head block is thus released and is then swung to its eievated position by operating the valve or controlling means for the head block actuating-- mechanism.

l claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a vertically movable mold, and a head block movable toward and from pressing relation to said mold, of a latch for releasably securing said head block in pressing position a latch releasing device carried by said mold, and means acting upon the movement of the mold away from the head block to actuate the latch releasing device to release the latch.

2. They combination with a mold and a head block which are relatively movable for pressing material, said head block being also movable toward and from pressing relation tosaid mold, of a latch for securing said head block in pressing position, a latch releasing device which is carried by and is movable with the mold in the movement of the mold relatively to the head block, and means acting upon movement of the mold relatively away from the head block to actuate the latch releasing device and latch to release the head block.

3. The combination with a mold and a head block which are reiatively movable for pressing material, said head block being also movable toward and from pressing relation to said mold, of a latch for securing said head block in pressing position, and latch releasing mechanism on said mold, which by the move-ment of the mold relatively away from the head block engages and moves the latch to release the head block.

t. The combination with a mold and a head block which are relatively movable for pressing material, said head block being also movable toward and from pressing relation to said mold, of a latch for securing said head block in pressing position, a latch releasing device movably connected to and movable with said mold, and means which actuates the latch releasing device when the mold is moved relatively away from the head block to operate the latch to release the head block.

5. The combination with a mold and a head block which are relatively movable for pressing material, said head block being also movable toward and from pressing relation to said mold, of a latch for securing said head block in pressing' position, a latch releasing device which is movably mounted on said mold, and means which engages the latch releasing device when the mold moves relatively away from the head block and moves the latch releasing device to actuate the latch to release the head block.

6. The combination with a mold and a head block between which material is pressed, said block being movable toward and from pressing relation to said mold, of a latch for holding the block in pressing relation to the mold, said mold being movable toward the head block for pressing the material and away from the block, and a latch releasing device which is moved by the movement of the mold away from the block to actua-te the latch to release the head block.

7. The combination with a mold and a head block between which material is pressed, said block being movable toward and from pressing relation to saidmold, of a latch for holding the block in pressing relation to the mold, said mold being movable toward the head block for pressing the material and away from the block, a latch releasing device which moves with the mold, and cam mechanism operating upon the movement of the mold away from the block to actuate the latch to release the block.

8. The combination with a mold and a head block between which material is pressed, said block being movable toward and from pressing relation to said mold, of a latch for holding the block in pressing relation to the mold, said mold being movable toward the head block for pressing the material and away from the block, a latch releasing device pivoted to the cake mold, and a relatively stationary cam which is engaged by the latch releasing device upon the movement of the mold away from the block and which moves the latch releasing device to actuate the latch to release the block.

9. The combination with a mold and a block between which material is pressed, said block being movable toward and from pressing relation to said mold, of a latch for holding the block in pressing relation to the mold, said mold being movable toward the block for pressing the material and away from the block, a latch releasing device suspended by a pivotal connection with the mold and having a part arranged to engage a part of the latch, and a relatively stationary cam which is engaged by the latch releasing device upon the movement of the mold away from the block and which swings the latch releasing device and thereby moves the latch to release the block.

FOREST C. SIMON. 

